Time is moving on and so are the words on the pages of this future book of mine, maybe “books”. What a big time consuming affair and yet a project I am enjoying more and more reliving myself past moments one entry at the time as I am writing it backwards, however will be printed in a normal chronological order.In the meantime a couple entries have gone on our Journal. Lance's Birthday has come and passed and their own moments weighing me down with such a force it at times makes me loose my breath. “Terlingua Bash” happened last weekend. Music Jams all over town as we witnessed (Spirit likes Music also... and the attention!) such incredible talents back to back with no rest, free for the listener within a Family type environment, as the expression says “egos are left at the door...”. A gathering of “Pirates” at “Passing Winds” and the grand finale, the Sunset overlooking the Chisos, an exceptional one, one I would have not missed for anything. Mother Nature was generous that evening, when will Photographers understand that the only Photoshop needed is patience, admiration and more patience? A couple entries later, here we are on a Monday, preparing to leave for Bisbee, Arizona, on Wednesday for the opening of our Show at Panterra Gallery Saturday evening. Maybe we can see some of you's there...

We are already on our way back to Big Bend and only now have had a bit of time to breathe and regain composure. The “real world” is have to say “busy”. There must be a better word for it but I cannot think of it. The ride over and this present ride back are just perfection, weather, tail wind both ways, all except for my rear shock which has lost all it's oil and for myself an eye infection too slowly getting better. A spare shock is awaiting for me to use while I send this one back to be repaired, the support on Motorcycle Forums is just so incredible. Invited for dinners, prepared one myself, the Show with a great turn out, all happening so fast, all however a great experience. They now have, the photos, a nice Home were they will permanently hang, maybe some will find another good Home, there were no buyers on this first night out, it does not surprise me, I don't think “Art” is selling very well these days. Maybe eventually it will turn around, Bisbee is a busy town, the attendance were mostly Locals always inundaded with such occasion. Many Friends however also showed up, it was the icing on the cake, from as far as Denver, Breckenridge, Colorado City, Tucson, Benson and more. Great times. The start of it all is on the Journal including a fantastic Flam Chen!

Bisbee and back. What a physical and mental ride it has been. This Desert here is so calm compared to anywhere else, including this little town we spend a few days in and around. “Riding” is such an incredible pathway to thoughts of the mind as the miles roll on and yet is it all “reality” or “fantasy”? Maybe a bit of both. Bluntly speaking, meeting a beautiful inside out Soul elaborating on a chemistry unlike felt from long ago, at another moment witnessing a tragic accident, it all creates a certain sense of not wanting to put away for later what today can be accomplished and taken steps forward to. The path receives this label called “unknown” and yet, we fool ourselves too often thinking the future is within our control, thinking “we know”. We don't. Either way we do not. What is then the difference from stepping into the ladder ahead when there is no control of it's own height ahead. “Follow your Heart” my Friends have told me, but of course. Emotions are in themselves so beautiful, such a privilege to be Human and feel the depth of it all. There is a story here, coincidentally happens to be my 600th entry. Also a few more Photos from Bisbee, the Show... the “Mystery Lady”...

These past chapters are as ending up being much thoughts while riding. The roads are not as demanding on the attention span and the mind allows itself to go on thinking... always with permission! The ride, the space we end up into was the “swimming hole”, always magical when experiencing the forms and shapes carved over these past few gazillion years, it is utmost silence as the road itself leading to it seems to belong to another planet. I say “black and white” within the title of this entry for the reason to have finally these past years opened up to gray areas when encountering others, when being on this stage which passes by now at an alarming speed. There is such an increasing comfort zone when thinking as such. The “Day of the Dead” has now come and gone, today we are packing to go on to Tucson for the “All Souls procession” which will be followed by a “Flam Chen”. Suddenly it is an experience I do not want to miss, be at least a witness of it all once. It will all happen for us on Sunday evening and we should be back here a couple days after, I need to jump back into the disciplined stage of writing this Book and also a Cookbook I decided on. Accordingly, the photos of this entry are also in “black and white”.

We were discussing clicker training dogs in a thread and someone mentioned how chickens can be clicker trained. Erin, our resident Clicker Queen, mentioned it was a dream of hers to "go to chicken camp". I just ran with it, after I stopped laughing....

As always, since cooperating weather, a great ride back again to Tucson. This weekend has come and gone by too quickly, we will already be back at “The Oasis” tonight to start filling up the pages of the Books in progress. The City Life for a few days... I so much realize all is a constant compromise being on this path of our Journey. Spending a few hours on a Sunday morning walking tthrough an incredible Farmer's Market was as a kid in a toy store... so much we have been missing. Yet, I did not find what Mother Nature's landscapes and mood offers us day in and day out. We cannot have it all... can we? Another event we attended was the “All Souls Procession” followed by a “Flam Chen” throughout a well behaved crowd they say of over 20,000. It sure did not feel as so many were surrounding us. All with some home cooked meals in the company of my Friend Robin, a couple years after very briefly meeting in Ely, here we were spending time under the same roof discussing our thoughts and the School of Life seemingly the same one we have both and still do attend. Two more... “Audrey”, sweet Dog, “Lovey”, the coolest cat I have ever met, all five of us, and one more “Spirit” of course, it was a refreshing weekend filled with smiles and sentiments I had not felt, none of us actually had felt in a very long time. A few photos on the Journal...

We all have calls. Some professionals, some hobbies, some of many. On the road for four years, the path does not allow for many to materialize and yet some have made their ways into our lives. My buddy Spirit, writing my own thoughts as just another Life story for my own personal reasons, photography, traveling into my favorite spaces and discovering new ones, new Friends, riding and more riding, camping and cooking as I see them hand in hand, growth of the mind and soul, I realize there are more than I ever imagined would materialize. The strongest one always so appealing to me, providing this comfort zone I think most seek for has been the Deserts. Much has been written about Deserts, their attributes fills up many books and so often adjectives, words, they just cannot convey the feeling they provide to the senses sharpened by such presence. It use to be, and still is only less, the preference where the Mountains. The balance has now swayed, has for a while as maybe besides it all, it is the vision unencumbered watching the horizon while riding as on a vast ocean moved incessantly by Mother Nature. The ride a couple days ago proved it again.

Suddenly it is all about Thanksgiving. Generally spend in our Desert, maybe a pot luck in years past for a couple hours or so, but not this year. We our on our way to Tucson, yes again, it is a happy occasion... what's another 1200 miles to spend a few days with a good Friend, great company and I know good food. The pull for such decision was strong, I would like to say I left it in Spirit's hands, but it was not so. The ride is of a familiar one, yet seeing what I had not seen before is an easy task, almost a game and tunes make the miles go by with a bit more pleasantness.A bit earlier, a new space we found being invited at Bed and Breakfast in Marathon we had never been or honestly never even heard of. “Eve's Garden”, 10 years of build up, a magical and colorful papercrete dwelling, or should I say dwellings with 8 guest rooms and what was to me as a maze and a photographer's playground. Short and sweet, I hope everyone is in good company with good Friends as it should be, good Food as is always is...

This “Thanksgiving” has brought new meaning to our Journey, without a doubt. The feeling is of a powerful one, the mind and soul here are set to make it a daily “Thanksgiving”. And why not? We have so much to be thankful for, it is so easy, too easy to let that day go by and forget it all. The path is brought in and served by a “Silver Spoon” if we only take the time to grab it's handle. We are still in Tucson, had a bit of a medical situation yesterday in the form of a possible “hernia” which turned out to be true. Mild it is and with a bit of rest we should be good to go on Monday back to “The Oasis”, the always magical space awaiting for us. We will miss much, there is no doubt. One day at the time it is always our sentiment. Not much riding but much cooking here in a full and well pointed kitchen, enjoy the photos... they are all part of the Journey present. The never ending one.

I almost feel as we both deserve a medal for finishing the 400 miles back to “The Oasis” yesterday. Not normally a big accomplishment, except for Spirit who as a real trooper never complaining of the miles, but only thinking so because of this not going away hernia pain. I am too well aware it will not vanish on it's own, now comes the steps trying to figure it all out as far as surgery, a task in itself when no Health Insurance is available. I know as always a door will open to take away this one more obstacle. One has to stay on the positive track of it all. On the much plus side also the weather cooperated with us in such an incredible way. December and still no heated gear needed with the added attraction of a tail wind which made “Old Faithful” purr every ongoing mile. We had a chance in Tucson to hike a beautiful wash the other day, it was deserted, different Desert from here, different cactus's, an open door to experience Mother Nature so close to an Urban environment. We also cooked a lot these past couple weeks and the recipes going up on the Journal are only a matter of time. Enjoy... we sure did!

Lots of cooking happens always in a nice kitchen and I finally had a chance to go through the photos and post some of the recipes. “Melted Brie cups...”, “Spanakopita...” and more. And on now it is sitting here packing up to go back to Tucson for both the Holidays and hernia surgery. In that order! I will be driving and one more time as when I went to see my Mother in Germany “Old Faithful” will stay behind. Not Spirit though! That is a big break. What happened to the uneventful winter I thought we would have? In my more recent entry I posted a video which I try to watch everyday. It is about living “the moment”. An aspect I am finding more and more so important as the years go by and the unexpected is always around the corner. I hope you enjoy it and opens up a new door with a fresh outlook on the days to come. Short bursts of riding is about all we have been able to do lately, cabin fever does not suit us very well. Amazingly riding is not too bad on the hernia, not as bad as forgetting about it and trying to lift much, as everything around here weighs much it seems like! Winter only made it's mark one day with a morning temperature of... 12! No complains, I do know about the blizzards up north. We are here very thankful and fortunate as we should always be.

We have stood there at “The Oasis” for days, unable to ride more than 60 miles a day, and that is with paying a painful physical price. A flat tire this morning while on our way to check the mail, and that did it... “White Elephant”, 23” RV, has come to the rescue and we have started our trek back to Tucson where the Holidays will come first followed by my hernia surgery. Great plan! It is comfort, warmth, easy travel, maybe too easy, yet very odd as besides four wheels we are on foot and will make the best of it. We made it as far as Alpine today, a huge 60 miles, some food shopping which “how nice, it can go directly in the fridge”, some hardware stuff as always and a nap which took me almost beyond Sunset, awaken by ambulance and police car sirens, the train passing by and whistling to no end and now for some unknown reason a dog on-stop barking in the distance. Poor Dog, I know his throat is going to be so sore. Spirit here on the other hand is also nice and comfy. I know even with his coat and heated blanket it must be cold for him in the hack. I almost forgot to feed him tonight throughout this new path we are on. The one aspect I have enjoyed so far is the lack of attention we always attract. It is as traveling “incognito”. The main aspect of it all however as I have written in my Journal is the fact that for the first time in years the Holiday Spirit has descended on me, on us.

It was a couple days on the road, everything going through my mind suddenly piled high up, driving instead of riding, Lance again not being present for the Holidays, the thought of his seventh Anniversary coming up, surgery around the corner, more... All is well now, momentary “madness” maybe, “winter blues”... driving blues! When will I ever learn to live the “moment” as Spirit does? That's right... I am only “human”.If you have ever driven through Marfa and stopped at the “Food Shark” for lunch, well, you are out of luck for the few coming days. Adam and Krista tied the knot on that same evening we had decided to spend the night in town. I was invited for the reception, a full on display of food, a couple wedding cakes and Music which I know went on for most of the night. Not a time for Adventures I guess, or better “I know”. We will be in Tucson in a couple of days, I think that is where the true sketch of these Holidays will start. I could not be happier we are not spending them alone as these past years.And just in case “Happy Holidays”... or is it too soon?

I read the other day a good comment expressing our “domestication” onward from moving off the grid for the time being till surgery happens in a couple days. Enjoying the “moment” is always the path we are on and so these days are not any different than previous others. I sure can close my eyes and be transported back into our Desert, Mountain tops and Valleys we have so many times crossed, they are all memories which enhances the present, yet, the Holidays are lived gracefully and joyfully by both Spirit and I, my beautiful Friend Robin, “wet nose” Audrey and Ms. Cool Cat “Lovey”. Always much cooking, seemingly many errands which make me wonder how I manage with so few of those in our “normal” environment. The City must be conductive to jumping from store to store always “needing” something, maybe as jumping from boulder to boulder needing the feel of Mother Nature. I felt it when we took a drive up to Mt Lemon the other day before today's bad and beautiful weather. Just in case... have a Great and Happy New Year as every Day should be.

How could I ever turn down a two for one hernia repair? I have to think in a bizarre way about the good Karma of pain a couple days ago when the previously twice repaired right side started to create much discomfort. A quick word to the surgeon only minutes before the procedure about this new incident and now fixed up on both side as the old mesh had slipped away causing a wrongful blood flow. Close call, this could have been happening in the near future needing again another surgery. What good fortune! Slow going, very slow, barely off the neutral switch and happy we had gone out on New Year's Day to visit the Mission San Xavier a few miles south of us. Coincidentally it is where the stabbing pains started. Say no more, Life has it's mysterious ways. Enjoy the photos on the Journal mixed in with also some of my present favorite quotes.